Harry potter and the mysterious letter Year one
by moonlight2007
Summary: Harry woke up one morning in his cupboard finding a piece of paper filled with words that make no sense. Read and find out how all these clues become understandable to Harry throughout the adventures of his first year at Hogwarts with his new friends.
1. Prologue

Harry Potter and the mysterious letter year 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter series this is purely for entertainment purposes.

Prologue

Harry Potter was a scrawny boy for his ten years of age. With messy black hair, green eyes, old clothes, broken glasses and a lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead he never quite fit in. Harry led a relatively normal life, if you consider getting bullied by your cousin, being made to live in a cupboard and being forced to do most of the housework normal.

Little did he know but this morning was special. He woke up before his aunt Petunia which was odd. Usually it was her sharp voice and the loud knocking on the door of his cupboard that woke him. But, today, that wasn't the case.

He had no clock or watch and there were obviously no windows in the cupboard under the stairs so there was no way to tell what time it was. He wondered why he wasn't still asleep at this ungodly hour so he turned on the little light above his head and put on his glasses. Everything seemed quite normal; his few possessions where on the shelves around his mattress and the occasional spiders on the ceiling or in his shoes. As his eyes scanned the tiny space he noticed a small piece of paper. He picked it up and read it.

_**Trust Hagrid**_

_**Be nice to Neville**_

_**Powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood makes the draught of the living dead**_

_**A bezoar is a stone found in the stomach of a goat that can cure most poisons**_

_**Monkshood, wolfsbane and aconite are the same plant**_

_**Dumbledore's Chocolate frog card, Nicolas Flammel, the philosopher's stone**_

_**It's Quirrell not Snape**_

_**Show this **__**only**__** to Ron and Hermione AFTER YOU HAVE BEFRIENDED THEM**_

Who on earth were Hagrid, Neville, Dumbledore, Nicolas Flammel, Quirrell, Snape, Ron and Hermione? What were chocolate frog cards, powdered root of asphodel, wormwood, the draught of the living dead, a bezoar, monkshood, wolfsbane, aconite and the philosopher's stone? He wondered. Was this some kind of joke?

Despite his questioning, Harry hid the paper away from prying eyes and opted to get dressed since he simply could not fall asleep again; how had the paper gotten into his cupboard? So when aunt Petunia came to knock and unlock the door, Harry popped out all dressed and went to go look after the bacon as ordered. A difficult task considering that the kitchen was hidden under a flood of presents. Groaning, he realised it was Dudley's birthday.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

After finally being let out of his prison, he treaded lightly around his family; doing as bidden without a fuss. He knew that it didn't matter to them that he hadn't set the snake lose. It had just sort of happened; but a lot of things just sort of happened around Harry and, according to his relatives, he was always to blame. He had had a lot of time to ponder the mysterious letter and letter-sender; he eventually decided that it must have been some sort of prank by Dudley although he didn't think his cousin really had the brains to think up something this elaborate nor the inclination to when physical violence had worked so well.

And whoever wrote him this letter didn't know him very well, he thought spitefully, he didn't have friends and how could he be nice to people who were afraid of getting beaten up by his cousin. Although, next year, his cousin wouldn't be around to intimidate anyone, he might make some friends at Stonewell High while his cousin was holed up at Smeltings. No, he told himself firmly, the paper and its nonsense words were nothing but a prank; a hoax. But a small well of hope was still alive unbidden under the surface.

One day, a few weeks before his birthday, he was sitting at the breakfast table – after having cooked said meal of course – he was ordered to get the post, and after arguing a bit, he went to fetch it.

Later on he realised how foolish it had been not to hide his letter. On one hand he now slept in Dudley's second bedroom, on the other, he didn't have the letter and he was confined to his new room.

He was now doubly curious because the piece of paper was made of the same strangely thick paper as this new letter. Could it be that his strange warning wasn't a hoax after all but was sent by the same person who was trying to contact him again. He tried to dash these hopes knowing that he would be disappointed if he hoped and dreamed. In the same way that hoping that some long lost family member would come and rescue him had been futile.

As the days flew by, more and more letters made their way into the house and after his first disastrous attempt to get one finished with him treading on his uncle's face. He resigned himself to wait it out. If the person who was mysteriously sending him letter was this determined that he receive one, they wouldn't give up until he got one… he hoped.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Uncle Vernon, unsurprisingly had snapped – he didn't do well under pressure – and they were speeding along the motorway once again after the letters had reached them at the small motel they had stayed at the night before. He had no idea where they were headed but decided it was best to keep his mouth shut seeing as his uncle was muttering to himself – he supposed his uncle might be going crazy. This thought was not reassuring.

After a terrifying ride in the small boat, they arrived in one of the most derelict places Harry had ever encountered. Once they realised that there was only one bed and one couch, Harry was not surprised in the least to find himself curled under the thinnest and most ragged blankets – the only ones that were left – with nothing protecting him from the chill that the cold stone floor provided.

This, he thought, would be one of his worst birthdays ever. At least, when he slept in the cupboard under the stairs, it was warm. He starred at his cousin's watch seeing his birthday tick closer and closer. He would be eleven years old.

His musings were disturbed by a crunching sound from outside. He thought little of it; the island was rocky and the storm was ragging. The noise got louder and closer until BOOM – 'Someone was knocking to come in!'


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Harry stood up quickly standing alert in case he'd need to run or fight. Dudley, on the other hand, sat up groggily saying: ''where's the cannon?''. The door crashed open revealing a giant man who was lit from behind by lightning. Harry's breath caught in fright until the man stepped inside and closed the door because while Harry was distracted by the imposing figure of the stranger, his aunt and uncle had exited their small room and had turned on the light. What had stopped his fright was the sight of the man's beetle-like black eyes that shone with kindness.

He was exceedingly surprised when the kind-eyed man addressed him. He, after Harry cautiously asked for it, introduced himself to be ''Hagrid, Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts.'' Harry, looking puzzled, asked him what Hogwarts was…that's when all hell broke loose.

Hagrid spun a tale of magic and of darkness that had Harry's head reeling after he had chewed out the Dursleys magnificently. 'How could any of this be true? He was just Harry.' He said as much. This brought a chuckle to Hagrid's lips. He explained further about the school and magic and Harry's own history. He upset the Dursleys by finally giving him the letter, his letter. It was an acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

When Vernon Dursley called Albus Dumbledore ''some crackpot old fool'', the invisible line was crossed and Hagrid flew into a rage; giving Dudley a pig tail. At this point, Harry's family barricaded themselves in the small room, leaving Harry at Hagrid's mercy. Of course, Hagrid wasn't a threat, at least, not to Harry.

Harry was once again sleeping on the floor but this time he was wrapped up in Hagrid's warm thick coat. It was only then that he realised that Hagrid was the name of the person in the note. He quickly pulled it out rereading it; it can't have been a prank he realised it was both comforting and scary. It was comforting because someone was trying to help him, communicate with him and it was scary because he didn't know who this person was nor did he know their intentions.

He also pulled out his Hogwarts letter. It was the same type of paper – parchment he thought it was called – but it wasn't the same handwriting; that much was certain. He sighed; it seemed that – he checked the writers' name – Professor McGonagall was not his mysterious letter writer. Oh well, he knew it was probably a wizard who wrote him if they used the strange paper. With that thought in his mind, he put the letters in his pocket and curled up letting sleep find him.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

It was the last day of August when Harry asked his uncle for a ride to King's Cross. Living at the Dursley's absurdly normal house for the past month, it was hard to believe that a magical community existed hidden from prying eyes and even harder to believe was that he was a part of it although, having numerous magical textbooks to read helped remind him that he wasn't dreaming. The beautiful snowy owl, Hedwig, was another reminder. She was also a friendly face in a house full of people who despised him.

Later that day, Harry found himself alone at King's Cross Station but not before the Dursleys committed one last act of cruelty – abandoning him with only his trunk and parting words filled with mockery. He was starting to build himself into a panic; 'His uncle was right: there was no such thing as platform nine and three quarters' 'There was no train leaving at eleven o'clock' 'The clock hanging above was ticking closer and closer to eleven' He pushed down this feeling; he'd had a lot of practice of retaining a certain amount of calm during such situations.

It was lucky he kept his head, because had he not, he might have missed the woman talking to the five redheaded children she was leading through the crowd ''- packed with muggles of course! Now, what's the platform number?'' The youngest and only girl was the one who answered ''Nine and three-quarters!'' He swung around his trolley following the sea of red. They halted in front of the barrier dividing platforms nine and ten.

He had tried spying on them – to find out how to get onto the platform – but it was impossible; they disappeared so fast. ''Excuse me, he shyly interjected after most of the children had already gone through, but could you tell me how to get onto the platform?'' The woman's smile put him instantly at ease. ''Of course dear…''

He grinned so widely he was afraid his face would crack when he managed to get onto the platform. Standing in front of him was a magnificently red steam engine. The crowd of students and family members seeing them off was concealed within clouds of steam. This landscape had an ethereal quality. He stopped staring around when someone nearly bumped into him and went to find himself a compartment.

Unfortunately for him, his scrawny frame made getting his trunk onto the train very difficult. He was starting to wonder if he'd ever succeed when one of the red haired boys, George, quickly followed by another – his twin Fred– came to help him with displacing it. He eavesdropped on the curious family once more although, this time, the conversation was about him.

The train began to move and as it did he saw the kind woman and her daughter – Ginny the twins had called her – waving. The train rounded the bend and they disappeared from sight. There was a soft knock at the compartment door and the youngest boy from the family asked to sit and introduced himself as Ron Weasley. It suddenly dawned on Harry that this boy Ron was mentioned in his letter – he was to be Harry's friend!


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 6:

The boy who entered the compartment was flanked by two boys who looked too big to be first years although Harry knew that the first was one who went by the name of Draco Malfoy. He knew this because they had previously met in Diagon ally – the meeting had left him with a rather unpleasant impression of this boy who reminded him of his cousin.

When he insulted Harry's new friends, Harry knew that his first impression of the Boy had been accurate. After a particularly nasty remark about Ron's family, Harry and Neville were forced to hold Ron back to stop him from hurting the other boy. They knew that the two large boys who looked like (and probably were) bodyguards would take over the fight and overpower Ron easily even if they attempted to help.

During the whole proceedings, Hermione was begging him not to fight; that he'd get into trouble. It seemed that they were making quite a racket because, a few minutes later, someone – a redhed sporting a shining prefect's badge – made his way into the doorway; Percy had arrived. He had heard a few of Malfoy's taunts it seemed so he knew that, while Ron had overreacted, he hadn't been entirely at fault either.

He sent the three bullies away with a warning about starting mischief. He then chewed out his brother, lecturing him on proper behaviour and telling him that he expected better. As he turned away to leave, Hermione, in a small voice, said "Please wait. Neville here (she pointed) has lost his toad; it's on the train but we can't find it. Could you help, please?"

Percy, glad to be of assistance, swept Neville out of the compartment asking him the name of his toad. "Trevor" Neville's reply was the last thing they heard before the compartment door shut.

They started a conversation about Hogwarts and the different houses. Hermione had several interesting facts about the school from reading Hogwarts: a history and Ron had lots of stories from his numerous brothers that had attended before him. Harry had nothing but questions and the few details Hagrid had given him. They were discussing the houses when Neville came back twenty odd minutes later. He joined in with enthusiasm agreeing with everyone that Gryffindor was where he wanted to be put and that Slytherin sounded by far to be the worst.

Percy stuck his head back into the compartment about an hour later to inform them that they should change into their robes. Hermione and Neville left to wherever they had left their baggage and came back with their robes on (Percy had told them that their luggage would be brought up to the school separately). Harry and Ron had changed in the meantime. Not long after that, they arrived.


End file.
